Another deflating moment for Lane Kiffin, USC

Nov. 8, 2012
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USC coach Lane Kiffin walks off the field after the Trojans' 62-51 loss to Oregon last Saturday, a game that has been marked by scandal after a USC manager admitted to altering game equipment to help the Trojans. / Kirby Lee, US Presswire

by Paul Myerberg and George Schroeder, USA TODAY Sports

by Paul Myerberg and George Schroeder, USA TODAY Sports

Deflating performances have cost the USC football team a place in the national championship picture this season. Deflated footballs have cost the Trojans a $25,000 fine and damaged a reputation they have been working to rebuild.

The latest scratch-your-head moment involving coach Lane Kiffin and USC came to light Thursday when the university announced that it had been fined and reprimanded by the Pac-12 Conference as a result of one of the team's student managers intentionally deflating game balls used during the first half of last Saturday's 62-51 loss to Oregon.

The Pac-12 announced that it had "accepted USC's self discipline on Wednesday and has additionally issued a $25,000 fine to the USC football program.

"As a conference," the league statement continued, "our paramount goal is to provide a safe and fair competitive environment for our student-athletes, their teams, and their fans."

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott told USA TODAY Sports on Thursday, "From my perspective, yes it was a serious and concerning violation of a playing rule along with sportsmanship and conduct rules the conference has.

"The school conducted the investigation and determined the student manager (did it). They did not identify anyone else. Having said that, we hold the overall program accountable for oversight and for the actions."

Scott said that shortly before kickoff, someone on the Oregon sideline observed the USC student manager deflating several footballs. A game official was alerted and quickly took the footballs back to the locker room to test the inflation.

"Most of them had been deflated," Scott said.

The balls had been tested earlier Saturday and found to be at the correct pressure, Scott said. The game official was unable to test the footballs on the USC sideline before kickoff. At halftime, those footballs were also tested. "All but one on the USC side had been deflated," Scott said.

Scott said all footballs were properly inflated for the second half.

Earlier Thursday, USC issued a statement acknowledging the incident: "When informed of this allegation by the Pac-12, USC investigated it immediately. The student manager confirmed that he had, without the knowledge of, or instruction from, any USC student-athlete, coach, staff member or administrator, deflated those game balls after they had been tested and approved by officials prior to the game."

Taking some of the air out of football can be especially beneficial to a pass-heavy offense, as a slightly deflated ball is easier to grip, throw, catch and carry. For USC, a lighter ball would give an unfair advantage to quarterback Matt Barkley and receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee â?? and many opponents in the Pac-12 would argue that USC's threesome doesn't need the help.

The student manager was fired as a result of the incident.

"We acknowledge the Pac-12's reprimand and fine," USC athletic director Pat Haden said in a university-issued statement. "We regret this incident occurred. It was unacceptable and we apologize for it. I can assure you this will not happen again."

This was merely the latest perceived error in judgment for USC under Kiffin's watch. The Trojans last came under scrutiny for a jersey-switching episode in an Oct. 20 victory over Colorado.

USC changed backup quarterback Cody Kessler's number from 6 to 35 before a game against the Buffaloes, with No. 35 the same jersey number as punter Kyle Negrete. Kessler was then used on a two-point conversion in the first half while wearing No. 35 before moving back to No. 6 for the second half.

The NCAA rulebook says that jersey numbers "shall not be changed during the game to deceive opponents." A team caught doing so will be assessed a 15-yard penalty and "flagrant offenders shall be disqualified."

USC said that because the jersey was switched before the game, it does not represent a violation of NCAA game rules. The Pac-12 told USA TODAY Sports that the matter would be handled internally.

For Kiffin, both episodes are exacerbated by USC's disappointing 2012 season. Picked as a national championship contender in August â?? Kiffin himself voted USC No. 1 in his poll, though he later denied doing so â?? the Trojans have lost two games in a row to drop to 6-3 and far outside the BCS bowl conversation.

But swapped jerseys and deflated footballs are merely the latest entries into Kiffin's blunder-filled three seasons as an FBS head coach. In a single season at Tennessee, Kiffin famously guaranteed a win over Florida (he lost); accused Urban Meyer of violating NCAA rules (it turned out that Kiffin himself committed a violation); jabbed Nick Saban and Alabama; and told Alshon Jeffery, then a high school student and college football recruiting prospect, that if he attended South Carolina he'd end up pumping gas for a living.

Scott said he viewed the ball deflation as an isolated incident.

"USC has gone to great lengths at the senior leadership level," Scott said, "to reinforce their expectation that the university would do the right thing and win with integrity."